Irvington Police Department, New Jersey
End of Watch: Thursday, August 9, 1984
Age: 41
Tour of Duty: 16 years
Badge Number: 13
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: August 8, 1984
Weapon Used: Shotgun; 12 gauge
Suspect Info: Sentenced commuted to 30 years
Patrolman Anthony Garaffa was shot and killed while investigating a call involving suspicious activity near 40th Street and Springfield Avenue at 1130 am.
When he arrived at the scene, he encountered three men and began to question them. When he asked one of the men what was in a bag the man was carrying, the suspect reached into it and fired a sawed-off shotgun through the bag, fatally wounding Patrolman Garaffa. Patrolman Garaffa was taken to University Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds approximately five hours later.
The 21-year-old suspect turned himself in about two hours after the shooting and was charged with capital murder. He was convicted and sentenced to death. On February 14, 1991, his sentence was commuted to 30 years to life. He will be eligible for parole on January 19, 2022.
Patrolman Garaffa had served with the Irvington Police Department for 16 years and had received over 40 letters of commendation throughout his career. He was survived by his wife and 2-year-old daughter.